Pain from an injury is no laughing matter. This is especially true for damage to the feet and ankles, since we use them repeatedly every day. This type of discomfort may exist from a prior issue that was not appropriately addressed at the time or a sudden problem, likely from a foot sprain or calf strain, plantar fasciitis (heel pain), Achilles tendonitis, ligament tears or unstable ankles. Mill Creek Foot & Ankle Clinic now offers a pioneering treatment for these maladies called platelet rich plasma injections in Edmonds that can be administered in a single office appointment. Dr. Hall has performed this procedure on more than 100 people with tremendous success and he is currently researching PRP therapy for chronic joint arthritis, too.
The human body initiates an instant reaction to injury, known as a healing cascade. This process takes place in 3 separate stages and allows the body to heal all types of damaged tissue. After experiencing a wound, that body part reddens and swells because of blood coagulating at the site of injury. This inflammatory phase lasts about a week. The next 2-3 months are involved with the formation of scar tissue and collagen. The final phase is regeneration or reparation. Scar tissue is eliminated and damaged tissues healed in a 6-month period.
If the healing cascade is disrupted because rapid treatment was not introduced, the body ceases the healing process. This quiescent phase leads to an injury that does not completely heal and pain lingers for the foreseeable future.
Injection of platelet rich plasma restarts the healing process starting with the inflammatory phase. The body can then complete healing without interruption.
Your PRP appointment is very simple. A vial of blood is drawn from your arm and then placed in a centrifuge to PRP therapy begins with a blood draw. The vial of blood is placed in a centrifuge to split the plasma from the whole blood. Your damaged foot or ankle is anesthetized and PRP injected into the tissue. To support complete healing, the foot or ankle is immobilized in a protective boot for about a month.
To learn more about platelet rich plasma injections in Edmonds or to make an appointment, phone Mill Creek Foot & Ankle Clinic at (425)482-6663.
